When Winter's First Snow Falls
by isolatedartist
Summary: As three cats follow three different paths, a cryptic prophecy connects them and those around them. As war, sickness, and death threaten to tear the Clans apart, it is up to the actions of two to save themselves and those they love. Rated T because of mature themes.
1. Prologue

The golden she-cat made her way across the smooth landscape. She hadn't been able to speak to StarClan for many moons, as her Clan had been ill. Now, she looked to the stars for advice.

"EmberCloud. It is good to see you visiting again." A deep voice said behind her. She quickly turned around. She faced a black tom with massive shoulders and wide amber eyes.

"Nightstar." She bowed her head. He was BreezeClan's old leader. While she hadn't personally known him, she knew him well from her dreams.

"Embercloud, you have been working hard this leaf-bare. StarClan acknowledges your work, but the worst is still to come." Nightstar explained. Embercloud fought panic and nodded slowly.

"I will continue to do my best." She promised him.

"Still, I am not just here to visit. StarClan wishes to send you a message. I am just a messenger." Nightstar explained as he began walking. Embercloud moved to follow, but found herself unable to walk. Panic rose up in her and she yowled for Nightstar, but he was already gone. She was nearly knocked over. She managed to stay upright as wind and snow began buffering her.

Through her half-lidded eyes, she tried to look around. A tan snake made it's way over to her. Adder! She tried to run away, but, once again, she couldn't move. She watched the Adder slither up next to her, and, instead of biting her, wrapped itself around her leg and hissed at the wind. As the wind died down, snow settled on her pelt.

"When winter's first snow falls, the adder will rise with the wind." Nightstar's voice whispered in her ear. Embercloud turned to ask him what he meant, but he was gone. The prophecy rang in her head as her dream died out. As she awoke, she could still feel the snake's scales against her fur. -

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Hi! Thank you all for reading. I'm sorry for the short prologue. I know I'm not the best writer, so feel free to tell me what I've done wrong and leave a review. Or, if you liked the story, boost my confidence and leave a review.


	2. Chapter One - Snowkit

"Snowkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Snowpaw. Your mentor will be Tigerstrike. I hope Tigerstrike will pass down all he knows on to you." Snowpaw stared up at Whitestar eagerly, her pelt newly groomed. She was serious on the outside. On the inside, she was excited, and she couldn't wait to begin training.

"Tigerstrike, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Oakleaf, and you have shown yourself to be strong and deft in battle. You will be the mentor of Snowpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Snowpaw." The dark tabby tom nodded, his yellow eyes glowing in the dim morning sun. He sat on the other edge of the clearing away from Snowpaw. Whitestar nodded to Tigerstrike and he rose to his paws. Snowpaw rose to nervous paws as she walked to meet him, touching noses with the strong warrior. She was proud to have him as her mentor, and she looked forward to working her hardest.

"The Clan welcomes you, Snowpaw." Whitestar meowed from the Fallen Maple.

The whole Clan began the chorus of cheering her name. "Snowpaw! Snowpaw! Snowpaw!" Snowpaw smiled as she looked over at her mother, Leafclaw, sitting outside the nursery. The brown she-cat was smiling with pride. She looked around at the rest of her Clan and her tail curled with happiness. When the chorus died out, Whitestar ended the meeting and let the Clan duties resume for the day.

Snowpaw turned to Tigerstrike for guidance. The large tomcat stared down at her warmly.

"Why don't you introduce yourself to the other apprentices and get some food before we start our first lessons?" He suggested. Snowpaw nodded. She couldn't wait to eat her first meal as an apprentice! She spotted Squirrelpaw and Mousepaw with ease, as they were waiting for her at the fresh kill pile. She padded over, doing her best to maintain composure. She didn't want to make herself look like a mouse-brain her first day.

"Hey, Snowpaw!" Squirrelpaw was the first to greet her. The dark red tom's tail raised in greeting. Snowpaw smiled and greeted him warmly.

"Yeah, hey! You're our new denmate!" Mousepaw agreed. She was a tannish brown she-cat. Snowpaw greeted her warmly as well, happy to have such warm denmates.

"Since you're new, why don't you pick something for us to share?" Squirrelpaw suggested. Mousepaw nodded in agreement.

"Well, alright. Thank you." Snowpaw dipped her head in agreement. She nosed through the pile before finding a small rabbit they could easily share between the three of them. She carried it off to the side before digging in with the other two apprentices.

"Are you excited about being an apprentice?" Squirrelpaw asked.

"Yeah, I mean, Tigerstrike is a great warrior! You must be so proud to have him as a mentor!" Mousepaw exclaimed. Snowpaw let out a purr of amusement.

"Oh, thank you. I'm really excited. I can't wait to see what he will teach me today!" She confessed. Squirrelpaw jumped up.

"Maybe he will teach you a battle move! That's what Pinestrike has been teaching me!" Squirrelpaw did a few mock battle moves in the air, much to Snowpaw and Mousepaw's amusement.

"Calm down, Squirrelpaw! You'll upset your breakfast!" Mousepaw chided gently, resting her tail in his flank. Squirrelpaw stared at them before a look of mild embarassment crossed his features.

"Right, thanks." He sat back down again. "Anyway, if you ever want to practice in your off time, you can come to me, okay?" He offered. Snowpaw nodded and smiled.

"I will be sure to keep that in mind." She promised. After her meal, she went to meet up with Tigerstrike, who was just finishing his own meal with the other warriors. He turned and regarded Snowpaw with a gentle nod.

"Did you have a good meal?" He asked her. She nodded slowly. She didn't want to make him think she was just an overly energetic kit fresh from the nursery.

"Good. I thought we could do something simple today, like beginning hunting moves." Tigerstrike said as he began walking out of camp, motioning for her to follow. She bounded after him, her legs still quite shorter than his.

"There's a clearing not far off from a stream. When we are done training, I will show you some more of the territory." Tigerstrike was explaining. Snowpaw nodded, letting him know she was listening. "But for now, the basics of hunting." He turned to her as they entered the clearing. Snowpaw stood upright and waited for his directions.

"Here. Mimic what I do the best you can." He said. He crouched low, as if he were stalking prey. Snowpaw crouched as well, her haunches high in the air. Tigerstrike audibly fought his laughter as he came over.

"Good, but try lowering your back a little." He said, gently resting a paw on her haunches. Snowpaw lowered them, feeling her body get used to the new position. She felt more pressure from Tigerstrike's paw, and she struggled to lower her back anymore. When he noticed her discomfort, the pressure ceased. She strained and managed to hold the position.

"Good. Your form needs work, but your dedication is noteworthy. Now, put some of the wait from your front to your back so your paw steps aren't so heavy." Tigerstrike instructed. She did, and she found lowering her back was much easier.

"Good. Now, straighten out and watch me again." Snowpaw did as instructed and watched as Tigerstrike went back into the crouch before slowly moving forward, stalking towards a stray flower in the grass.

"Do it like I'm doing. Keep your paw steps light and quick." Tigerstrike said, holding the position. Snowpaw dropped back into position, first setting herself in the proper way before beginning to slowly work her way forwards. She worked to keep her paws light, although it was difficult with the new position. However, she was praised by Tigerstrike.

"Now, practice that a few more times, and we will go visit the stream and explore a little." Tigerstrike said. Snowpaw nodded, and did as told.

"This stream marks the border between ForestClan and MarshClan." Tigerstrike explained. Snowpaw sat silently and nodded. She didn't say much, not wanting to appear disrespectful and accidentally interrupt.

"What do you know about MarshClan?" Tigerstrike inquired. Snowpaw shook her head.

"Very little. Only that they live with wet paws almost all the time." She explained. Tigerstrike nodded.

"MarshClan cats live in, well, the marsh. Kits are taught from a young age to fight snakes and other dangerous creatures."

"What? Wow!" Snowpaw couldn't help but exclaim this. She tried to imagine ForestClan kits fighting snakes, and she shook her head. Tigerstrike nodded.

"They're also quite skilled in battle. If you ever meet a MarshClan cat in a fight, it is best to use your size to your advantage. However, we will cover that in battle training." Tigerstrike rose to his paws. "Shall we go back to camp?" He asked her with a faint smile. Snowpaw blinked and nodded.

"I-I mean, it's your decision. You're my mentor." She said. Tigerstrike laughed softly and bent down so that he was at her level.

"Snowpaw, I know you're trying to impress me, but you don't have to be so stoic. Don't be afraid to show me what you're feeling." He said softly. Snowpaw nodded, feeling her fur warm in embarassment.

"What did I just say?" Tigerstrike asked. Snowpaw apologized.

"Alright, Tigerstrike." She corrected herself. Tigerstrike smiled and nodded.

"That's better. Alright, then. Let's head back to camp before sun high." Tigerstrike said. Snowpaw nodded eagerly, and followed him back to camp in time to talk and gossip with her two new friends.

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And that's the first Chapter! What do you guys think? Too slow? Just right? Too fast? Please leave a review to let me know what you think, and I will see you guys on chapter two!


	3. Chapter Two - Adderstrike

In the middle of the boggy clearing, a light brown tom had his nose resting in the fur of a motionless tortoiseshell she-cat. Across from him was another tortoiseshell she-cat and a brown tabby that was much darker.

Dawn was near approaching, the sun on the horizon, and slowly the darker tabby tom rose to his paws. He walked over and nudged the lighter tom softly.

"Adderstrike, it is dawn. The vigil is over." The tom's voice cracked. Adderstrike looked up, grief written on his face. He slowly rose to his paws.

"Thank you, Mudstar." He replied, his voice kept low and soft. Mudstar turned his head to the living tortoiseshell and motioned for her to follow him.

"Come, Poppyspring." He said softly. Adderstrike watched the two cats leave. He knew it was hard for Mudstar to lose his last remaining daughter, and Adderstrike felt the pain. The tortoiseshell sitting at his feet, Spottedwing, was his mate. He only thanked StarClan she wasn't expecting kits. He would not have been able to bear the loss of them as well.

Still, with Mudstar grieving, Adderstrike would have to take on more responsibilities. He rose to his paws and took a deep breath as warriors began shuffling out of their dens. They all gazed at him with sympathy. Although he was grateful, he knew there was still work to be done.

He walked over to one of the many fallen trees and poked his head inside. The apprentices, Amberpaw, Lionpaw, and Sandpaw were still sleeping. He would let their mentors wake them up. He removed his head from the apprentices' den, minding the mushrooms, and moved over to the moss-covered oak, where his friends Quailfeather and Brightfang were already emerging.

"Good morning, the both of you." He nodded his head slowly.

"Good morning, Adderstrike. Brightfang mewed, yawning and stretching. Adderstrike appreciated the lack of emotion from his oldest friend.

"How about you and Quailfeather take the morning patrol? I will send Blackwhisker and Dawnfoot out to hunt." Adderstrike told them. They both nodded and headed out. He walked into the warrior's den and found the sleeping black tom he was looking for. He carefully poked said tom in the side.

"Blackwhisker. Wake up." He said gently. The sleeping cat slowly stirred and opened his green eyes before looking up at Adderstrike.

"Yeah?" He yawned.

"Take Dawnfoot, as well as both of your apprentices, out for the hunting patrol." He ordered gently. Blackwhisker rose to his feet and stretched, making sure to kick Dawnfoot with his paw. Dawnfoot awoke with a grumble. Adderstrike shook his head at the two cats and moved on to check on their medicine cat.

The golden tabby she-cat was rummaging through what few herbs she had left. Adderstrike quietly padded into her den and cleared his throat.

"How is your stock, Embercloud?" Adderstrike asked softly. Embercloud quickly turned around to look at him.

"It's poor. There's hardly enough left to heal any cat." She sighed, looking down at the sleeping tan tom in a makeshift nest. Adderstrike nodded.

"Do you need help gathering some more? I'm taking Sandpaw for the day while Poppyspring mourns." Adderstrike said.

"And how are you doing?" Embercloud ignored his offer and walked over, her green eyes shining with sympathy. Adderstrike averted his gaze from her, despite her being so close to him.

"I'm coping." He responded, moving slightly away.

"Nonsense. You can barely look me in the eye and say that." She said. "Losing your mate would be hard..." She continued softly. She then looked away quickly and went back to her herbs. "Not that I would know, of course." She quickly added. Adderstrike coughed.

"And what of my offer?" He asked. Embercloud perked up.

"Right, right..." She sighed and nodded. "That sounds just fine. Just, give me a few moments to tend to Hareleap, alright?" She said. Adderstrike nodded and went to go wake Sandpaw. He had already been awoken by Blackwhisker and Dawnfoot when they went to retrieve their own apprentices. The tan tom was cleaning himself and eyeing the low fresh kill pile.

"Good morning, Sandpaw. You can eat when you're done helping myself and Embercloud." Adderstrike said quickly. Sandpaw sighed and stood up, smoothing his fur down.

"Really? I was hoping we could do some battle training today." Sandpaw explained. Adderstrike shook his head.

"Sorry, Sandpaw, but the Clan needs medicine first and foremost." Adderstrike chided him gently. Sandpaw sighed, disappointed, and gave a small nod. Adderstrike smiled. "Good. If we have time today, I will show you some moves." He promised. The tan apprentice perked up and his green eyes shone.

"Great!" The apprentice happily bounded back to the medicine den to help Embercloud. Adderstrike followed with a knowing chuckle.

"Do we have everything?" Adderstrike asked, his mouth full of herbs. The words came out a bit muffled, but Embercloud seemed to hear him just fine.

"Yes, we do. Come along, Sandpaw. It's nearly sunhigh." Embercloud instructed. Sandpaw nodded and picked up his own bundle of herbs, trotting ahead of them. Embercloud dropped a little in pace, and Adderstrike adjusted so he wouldn't leave the ginger medicine cat behind.

"Adderstrike, can I...get you anything?" Embercloud asked him softly. Adderstrike felt his fur prickle.

"I am afraid I don't know what you mean, Embercloud," He responded calmly.

"I mean, about Spottedwing. Your mate. Are there any herbs I can give you, to help with the grieving process?" Embercloud ventured. Adderstrike shook his head.

"I'm fine, I assure you. With Mudstar grieving, it is my job to do what is best for the Clan. I don't need to take up any more resources." He responded. Embercloud sighed.

"I just...I know how much you meant to her, how much she meant to you..." She trailed off. Adderstrike fixed her with a stare.

"Like I said, I'm fine. These times don't allow me the luxury of grieving." Of course, he was only partially telling the truth. He didn't want to think about the truth. Not after...not after what he saw a few moons ago. Embercloud must have sensed his distress, as she perked up her tail and touched his shoulder gently.

"Come on," She said softly. "I want to get back to camp. Hareleap will be waiting." Adderstrike nodded, and dashed after her.

Adderstrike sat in the clearing by himself, a half-eaten thrush at his paws. He had told Sandpaw to eat lunch with the other apprentices and relax before returning to Adderstrike. He was surveying the camp. Many of the warriors were out sharing tongues. His gaze settled on Hawkflight, a brown tabby tom with yellow eyes. He was talking amongst Splashnose and Ravenfrost. His ears twitched a little as a memory flooded back to him.

_"Hawkflight! It's so good to see you again." The tortoiseshell she-cat looked stunning in the moonlight. Adderstrike held his breath and watched the two cats from afar. "Spottedwing! I thought you weren't going to visit me anymore." The tabby tom curled his tail as he met muzzles with the she-cat. _

_"I could never stop visiting you." Spottedwing murmured. _

_Hawkflight licked her cheek affectionately. "What about...Adderstrike?"_

Adderstrike was broken out of the memory by Sandpaw coming over. "Hey, Adderstrike, are we training now?" Sandpaw asked. Adderstrike blinked and looked down.

"Yes, of course. I'm a cat of my word. Let's head to the training hollow now." He shook his head of the remaining thoughts and headed off to train with Sandpaw.

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Hello! Another somewhat boring chapter, I know! One more like it, I promise, and then less introductions, more plot. Please leave a review to let me know what you think! See you next chapter.


	4. Chapter Three - Berrypaw

Hey guys! This is the last introduction chapter. We take a peek inside the last clan, BreezeClan. (I failed to mention, Adderstrike is from MarshClan and Snowpaw from ForestClan). I've also been doing some planning today in school. This is going to be a long story! But hey, if you guys stick through with me, and I stick to it, I will draw up some art and post a video or something to thank you all. Without further ado, Chapter Three. ~ ~

"Come on, Berrypaw, we are going to be late for our first assessment!" An excited voice broke through the dreams of the sleeping cream tom. He grumbled as he opened his eyes, light flooding into his face from the opening of the den.

"I'm up, Robinpaw..." Berrypaw yawned and slowly rose to his paws. His denmate was so eager for his training. Berrypaw, on the other hand, dreaded today. He hadn't been doing well in his training, and he doubted he would do well today. Rising to his paws, he yawned and stretched again as Robinpaw bounced impatiently.

"Come on...!" He demanded. Berrypaw ignored the russet tom and slowly made his way out of the apprentice den. He looked out at the camp. The camp was nestled between a space between two hills. Dens had been carved into the landscape long ago by rabbits and other creatures. The medicine den was next to the nursery, both the biggest and spacious dens available. There was also a high ledge for the leader to speak, right above his den. He mostly spoke from the entrance of his den. The warriors den was the closest to the only exit from the camp, and the apprentice den next to the warrior's den.

"Stop looking around! We are going to be late!" Robinpaw chided Berrypaw again. Berrypaw shook his head and nodded before dashing after Robinpaw to meet their mentors outside of camp. Frosteye and Snowfall were waiting outside of camp for the two apprentices. Robinpaw stopped in front of Snowfall, and Berrypaw slowly padded after him before looking up at Frosteye and waiting.

"Are you two ready for your assessments?" Frosteye asked. Berrypaw and Robinpaw nodded. Frosteye turned to Snowfall.

"Good. You will each be watched and assessed from afar. Please remember your techniques. We aren't looking for how much prey you've caught, but how well you've caught it. It's all in the technique." Snowfall instructed. Berrypaw nodded absently. He had heard this before, both from Frosteye and from Robinpaw.

"Good, off you go." Frosteye said. Robinpaw was off, and Berrypaw headed for the northern borders. There was easier prey to catch, and he didn't mind the icky bog smell from the edge of MarshClan territory. It didn't take him long before he spotted a hare. He instantly crouched down, and the wind blew against him. The hare took off. He cursed and dashed after it, but it was too late. He padded to a stop, gasping for air. He hoped Frosteye hadn't seen that. He turned as he heard a noise, and saw a mouse scuttling into a hole. He pounced after it, but alas, it was too late. He sighed in frustration.

The entire moor was against him today! Not that he blamed it. He was a lousy warrior. Or, at least an apprentice. He would be a lousy warrior someday. He was two moons into his training, and already it was clear he wouldn't be made a warrior with the others. Maybe he would never be a warrior.

The thought hit him like a ton of bricks, and he staggered back a bit. Just then a breeze blew by, to his nose, and he caught the scent of prey. It was a bird! He looked around before following the scent, walking light. He spotted the bird, and narrowed his eyes as he crept forward. He leapt at the last minute. The bird tried to take off, but it was too late. A quick bite to the neck marked his first and probably only catch of the day. Still, he was proud and happy to have caught something.

As he turned, he caught sight of something, or rather, someone. A cat! The fur was neither white nor red, so it wasn't Snowfall, Frosteye or Robinpaw. It was gray, with dappled tabby marks. However, it was gone before he could properly identify it. Still, his curiosity was overwhelming, and he dashed after it. He turned a tree to see the cat walking in the directions of the Mooncave, a small cave in neutral marsh territory where medicine cats and leaders sometimes went. Was it perhaps a cat from MarshClan?

He opened his mouth in greeting when a cat knocked him over. He gasped for breath as he tried to defend himself. He rolled as teeth snapped in his ear. He dashed away before turning to face his attacker. It was a dark brown tabby cat with amber eyes.

"What are you doing on MarshClan territory, BreezeClan scum?" The cat snarled. He smelled absolutely awful, like mud and rotting wood. The scent alone was enough to daze Berrypaw. However, a streak of white came by and knocked the tabby to the ground. It was Frosteye.

"Typical of a MarshClan cat to attack an apprentice!" Frosteye spat.

"He was on our territory!" The opposer snarled, throwing Frosteye off of him. He moved to attack again, but a light tan tom came running and stopped him.

"Enough, Hawkflight. This is neutral territory." The tan tom instructed, his words tense but otherwise not rude. Hawkflight glared before looking away in embarassment.

"I do apologize for my Clanmate's behavior. I hope you will not think too badly of the rest of MarshClan cats." The tan tom said. Frosteye's fur slowly settled.

"I will do my best, Adderstrike." Frosteye responded. The two MarshClan cats retreated from view. Frosteye turned to Berrypaw, who instantly shrank away, preparing to be yelled at.

"You defended yourself well, Berrypaw. Good job on catching that bird. We should go back to camp and have the medicine cat check you over." Frosteye said. Berrypaw looked up in surprise.

"You mean, I'm not in trouble?" He asked.

"Why would you be? You defended yourself against a MarshClan warrior. Not many cats can say the same." Frosteye purred proudly. Berrypaw's chest puffed out in pride. He walked back to camp with a smile on his face. He couldn't wait to tell Robinpaw!

"Wow! Really? What did he look like? How big was he? Did he smell like dead snakes and frogs?" Robinpaw demanded to know more over eating at sun-high. Berrypaw was happy to share the details. He was finally starting to feel like a success.

"Hello, guys!" A pretty light reddish brown she-cat trotted over, sitting next to Berrypaw and Robinpaw. She was Acornpaw, the medicine cat's apprentice.

"Oh, hey Acornpaw. How goes the herbs?" Robinpaw teased, pronouncing herbs with a hard h. She rolled her eyes and smiled softly.

"They're going fine, thanks. How was your assessment?"

"I caught a hare and a robin. But Berrypaw fought off a MarshClan warrior!" Robinpaw exclaimed. Acornpaw's eyes widened and she turned to Berrypaw.

"Did you really? Wow! That must have been really difficult. You must be on your way to being one of the best warriors the clan has see !" She exclaimed. Berrypaw's fur grew warm under the barrage of compliments and he smiled shyly.

"Thank you, Acornpaw." He said. Acornpaw nodded and also demanded to hear the details. It wasn't surprising, considering she was Robinpaw's sister.

After eating, Acornpaw took Berrypaw to check him over for any cuts and scratches. Although there were none, curiosity got the best of him as he looked over the herb store.

"What does this do?" He asked, pointing towards a yellow flowered plant.

"Oh, that? That's marigold. I use it to treat wounds, like to keep them from getting infected." Acornpaw explained. Berrypaw nodded, intrigued as he eyed the rest of the herbs. He wondered what the rest of them did, although he refrained from asking. When he was all done being checked over, Acornpaw nudged him gently.

"You can go now, great warrior." She teased warmly. He smiled shyly and nodded. He would have to visit again, he decided as he walked out of the medicine den. He would certainly have to visit again.

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~~~ Alright! That's Chapter Three! After this, there will be less exposition and more plot, I promise you. We met our third hero, Berrypaw, the clumsy warrior. Hey, I was wondering if you guys could leave a review. It really boosts my confidence and makes me want to write faster and better. Even if it's only a few words, I hate checking and finding nothing for my hours of work. That's all! Bye!


	5. Chapter Four - Adderstrike

Hey guys! I know it's been literally FOREVER since I last wrote. I don't really know what happened. I haven't been around a WiFi source and I don't like writing on my phone anymore. Well, here's Chapter Four, finally, and this isn't dead, because I still have the planning!

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Adderstrike padded out of the warrior's den and yawned, stretching. It had been a long night full of restless sleeping and no dreaming. He looked towards the fresh-kill pile. All that lay there was a meager mouse. That wouldn't do to feed Whitepool's kits nor Dawnfrost, and certainly not fit for an elder. He looked back at the warrior's den. He padded up to Larkspring, a sleeping tan tom, and nudged him softly to wake him up. The warrior slowly woke up, blinking his green eyes with sleep, and looked up at Adderstrike.

"What is it, Adderstrike?" He asked calmly. Adderstrike heard some of the other warriors beginning to wake up as well.

"I would like you to go on a hunting patrol with me. I'm going to get a few others, as well." He said.

"I can go along, if you would like." A deep voice sounded next to Adderstrike. He didn't have to look to know it was Ravenfrost, a newer warrior with a black pelt and blue eyes. He nodded.

"Thank you, Ravenfrost. That should do it." He turned to Grasstail, a tan she-cat that was waking up.

"Grasstail, do you mind getting a border patrol together and heading out towards the ForestClan border? I'm leading a hunting patrol near the BreezeClan border." He explained. The she-cat nodded and rose to wake up a few of her Clanmates. Turning, Adderstrike led the two cats he had awoken out of camp.

The only exit out of the camp was a small opening between the otherwise wall of fallen trees. It had taken their ancestors moons in order to move the trees into a suitable barrier, if Adderstrike recalled correctly. They had to face the predators that they weren't used to fighting, as well. There were the obvious snakes, but there were also some otters if one went far enough towards the river.

"We're heading towards BreezeClan, eh? Didn't Hawkflight get into a skirmish with an apprentice from BreezeClan?" Larkspring asked, padding almost alongside Adderstrike. Adderstrike nodded.

"He did, and he was berated thoroughly, I assure you." He said darkly. He didn't want to think about the dark brown warrior right now. He didn't want to think about a lot of things.

Like the mysterious sickness that was slowly overtaking the camp. It had already claimed his own parents long when he was an apprentice. It had taken all three of Mudstar's daughters, and his only son, including Spottedwing, who was now buried deep in the mud. It had taken countless kits and a couple of queens. The elder's den was now barren compared to what it once was.

Anxiety rose over Adderstrike and he took a small breath to calm himself. He was the deputy and had to keep a level head. He was the only one that Mudstar could rely on, nowadays, and probably the only reliable cat in the Clan.

"Hey, I'm going to head south." Ravenfrost said quietly, nudging Adderstrike and breaking him out of his thoughts. Adderstrike nodded.

"I'm going to head north." Larkspring added, padding off. Adderstrike nodded to them both. He needed to get his head in order. He slowed down and took a soft breath, looking around. He caught the scent of a frog nearby, and dropped into a crouch, slowly following the scent. He kept his pawsteps light and slow, as the water below his feet would ripple too strongly otherwise.

His ears pricked forward as he saw the frog. It was facing away from him, at the edge of a deeper puddle. He would have to tread carefully. His paws, already moist and damp, made little noise as they stepped onto mud and wherever he could find that wasn't just plain water. Water would make more noise. Finally, he crouched lower, prepared to jump, and landed onto it. As expected, it jumped, but he knocked it onto it's belly and quickly delivered a deadly blow to its neck. It broke smoothly, and the creature didn't move again.

Adderstrike carried the frog to drier land and buried it quickly. He moved closer to the BreezeClan border, dropping into a crouch as he spotted a rare hare. It was fat, and it would surely feed both queens as well as the two kits in the nursery. He crept as close as he could get, and he dashed after it, managing to pounce on it before it got away. He killed it quickly, proud of himself as he licked his jaws and prepared to bury it. The wind blew, however, and carried the scent of BreezeClan warriors into his nostrils. He stood up, alert, and he grimaced as he saw three warriors heading his way.

"Hey, stinking MarshClan cat!" One sneered. Adderstrike flicked his ears back and his tailtip twitched in irritation, but he didn't say anything. He kept the hare in his mouth, not moving.

"Hey, you got mud in your ears?" Another one taunted. Adderstrike's tail lashed in anger. He was getting really annoyed with the insults.

"I don't think he can hear us." Adderstrike could see them clearly. The first cat that insulted him was a ginger she-cat. The second one to insult him was a brown she-cat. The third and final cat was an orange tom with a fluffy tail. Aderstrike padded a few paces back to set the hare down before stepping in front of it defensively. He would not be letting Whitepool and the kits down.

"Hey, you! You're Adderstrike, aren't you? You're MarshClan's deputy, eh?" The ginger she-cat asked, stepping over into his space. Adderstrike flattened his ears and set a warning paw on the hare, determined to show them he was willing to defend his prey.

"I am." He said calmly, keeping his defensive position up. His tail puffed out in instinct, and the two warriors with the she-cat laughed.

"I think he's frightened of us, Brambleheart. What do you think, Flametail?" The she-cat sneered. The brown she-cat, Brambleheart, laughed and agreed.

"Yeah, Applenose, I think he is!"

"I can assure you, I am not. What is the problem here?" Adderstrike asked calmly, getting tired of the BreezeClan cat's games.

"That there is BreezeClan prey. Ran right over the BreezeClan border, it did." Flametail said, also stepping closer than Adderstrike felt comfortable with.

"It wasn't running. It was eating." Adderstrike said. "I can assure you, I wouldn't lie to you."

"Oh, right, because I'm going to listen to a cat that smells bog fumes all day!" Flametail snapped, getting inches from Adderstrike's face. Adderstrike growled warningly, his back fur raising in defense.

"Back off." Adderstrike growled.

"And if I don't?" Flametail snarled, unmoving, his green eyes bearing down into Adderstrike.

"Then I will take on you, and any of your other Clanmates that dares try to fight me as well." Adderstrike responded as calmly as he could.

Flametail growled low in his throat and instantly went for Adderstrike's throat. Addderstrike dodged to the side and batted at Flametail's head with his claws unsheathed, jumping back a little to give himself some room between himself and his enemy. He was aware of the brown she-cat making for his direction, and he grit his teeth. He ducked as she jumped at him, and felt a stinging sensation as Flametail raked his claws down Adderstrike's side. He yowled in protest and kicked at the warrior, batting at Brambleheart as she jumped over him, knocking her off balance.

"I've been fighting snakes since I was four moons old!" He snarled, clawing at Brambleheart's face as she made to bite his shoulder. He felt Flametail latch onto his back and he quickly rolled over, throwing his weight down as hard as he could. Flametail yowled in protest and pain, but Adderstrike didn't let up. He clawed at Brambleheart as she came to defend her Clanmate, and she managed to claw his cheek. She had aimed for his eye, but he had quickly moved his face in time. He rolled off of Flametail, who hissed angrily and batted at him. Adderstrike took more clawmarks to his pelt. He had to get these two off of him before the third one jumped in. He knew he was strong, but he didn't want to face deadly wounds in order to get a hare.

He was thrown off-balance as the two cats both attacked him from the side, and he rolled around, yowling in indignation. The cats were smart, he had to give them that. He clawed and bit where he could, desperate to get himself to safety. The ginger she-cat came, and she looked at the two.

"Here, get his neck to where I can see it. We can end this little game." She sneered. Adderstrike kicked as hard as he could, but the weight of two cats was more than he was able to fight off. Flametail pressed an orange paw against Adderstrike's chin, and pushed his head back. He hissed and clawed, but it was futile. As Applenose made to bite him in the throat and end him, there was a blur around him as she was bowled over and she growled. The two weights were lifted off of him and he quickly rose to his paws.

"Hey, BreezeClan scum, what are you doing, trying to kill our deputy?" It was Larkspring and Ravenfrost, here to help him out. Adderstrike felt eternally grateful for their assistance. He quickly worked to fight against Brambleheart, while Larkspring and Ravenfrost quickly took care of the she-cats. The BreezeClan cats eventually retreated, hissing and swearing they wouldn't forget this.

Adderstrike bent down to lick his woulds gently, wrinkling his nose at the salty taste of blood. Larkspring and Ravenfrost came over.

"What was that all about?" Larkspring asked curiously, looking over Adderstrike.

"Those damned BreezeClan cats claimed it was their prey. They wouldn't back down, and neither would I, so they attacked me." Adderstrike explained gruffly. "The hare, over there." He motioned with his head, and Ravenfrost looked over.

"Well, I can certainly see why you wouldn't want to give it up. That thing is huge!" He exclaimed. Adderstrike nodded, standing up.

"Thanks for the help. That warrior, Applenose, was going to perform the killing bite." He said. The two cats darkened.

"We should tell Mudstar." They said quickly. "He will want to know about this immediately."

Adderstrike nodded. "Yes, he will. We should get back to camp, then." He said.

The three cats headed back to camp, Adderstrike with a slight limp as his leg stung from the marks he had received.

When Adderstrike came limping into camp, Embercloud immediately emerged from her den, which was a small hollow inside of a still-standing tree. She rushed over.

"Where did you get those?" She asked, looking at him and then the hare in his mouth. Adderstrike set the hare down, along with the toad he had caught, and flattened his ears.

"BreezeClan cats. They claimed the prey to be theirs, and were throwing around lies." He said, lashing his tail in irritation. "I need to speak to Mudstar first."

"No, you need to get your wounds treated!" Embercloud said crossly, pushing him towards the den without another word. Adderstrike didn't dare protest; the she-cat looked extremely worried. Instead, he just sat in her den and let her treat his wounds. When they were all healed, she let him go, but she watched him with worried eyes.

"Embercloud, I am fine, I promise." He said gently. EMbercloud just nodded and let him go. He padded into Mudstar's den. It was a hollowed out tree that had once been uprooted from a storm. He pushed past the now dangling roots and into the den.

"Mudstar, I need to talk to you." He said grimly. "There's been another border skirmish."

* * *

Wow, look at all I wrote today! Nearly two thousand words! I know it has been a while since I have updated, I hope to update more in the future, I promise. Life has just been busy.

Also, I'm going to be writing two side stories. Keep an eye out for them. If you would like to have a character of yours be in them, see my needing OC's thread.

Finally, would you guys like an allegiences chapter? It would be a while before I posted it, because I would be uploading it directly from my computer, but I would be able to get one.

Alright, well, thank you for reading ,and I will see everyone next time! Bye!


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